NILAI – It is important for a patient suffering from asthma to always ensure that the supply of medicine and inhaler equipment is always in good condition. A group of researchers from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) moved proactively by creating a product called Tanaffas, which is an aid to facilitate the delivery of medicine (spacer) using a Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) that can be resized to reduce storage which is often used for patients with lung problems such as asthma.
Dr. Nur Zaireena Zainal, from USIM’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, as the head researcher, said she got this idea when her son, who has asthma, had difficulty carrying a spacer when leaving the house or travelling due to its relatively large size and lack of a container to ensure it was not contaminated.
She explained further, “With the creation of this product, it allows patients to use tanaffas as an aid in the use of MDI drugs with efficiency. It is also easy to carry anywhere with better storage, and it is also durable and easy to wash”.
According to Dr. Zaireena again, there are many challenges when starting innovative products, especially when it comes to competing with existing products, especially in solving a ‘problem statement’ that is significant and impactful, perfecting ‘product design and functionality’, increasing in terms of cost and expertise. However, to achieve the goal of innovation not in a short or short time, it requires continuous commitment and high motivation, which is the biggest challenge.
“Thus, we sincerely hope that this innovative product can be well received by the community and benefit the users, considering that this product has received a very good response among patients with asthma or hypersensitive lungs.”
This innovative product has won a gold medal at the International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2022. Other research members are Associate Prof. Dr. Nazefah Abdul Hamid and Dr. Ifwat Mohd Ghazali.
Prepared by:
Strategic Communication Centre (StraComm)
Level 1, Canselori Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai Negeri Sembilan
